A little help please?

C

charlie_brown1

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 November 2008
Messages
74
Visit site
My daughter has had her pony for 5 years. But sadly has found boys...... So has lost interest in her pony. Sooo, as I love the pony, I just can't part with him, he is part of the family. So am trying to take care of him. He has been turned away all winter, so I have a rather fat cob and I can only walk and trot, as my daughter has always rode him.

I am about to turn him out 24/7. I understand that he will no longer need to have hayledge when he is out?

Could anyone please guide me on an exercise schedule for him, so I can get him fit and healthy, and do the right thing for him. I am ready to do the work with him.

Any help would be truly appreciated

Thank you

Mandy
 
If he's already fat you need to be very careful as to what kind of grazing you turn him onto 24/7. You might need to think about strip grazing the field so he can't get too much grass, or consider a grazing muzzle possibly?

With regards to exercise, if he is overweight I would do lots of long lining with him. Making sure he briskly walks out, no slopping along. After a week or two start including hillwork too. And the same for when you ride him - start at 20 mins walk a day but make him really walk out. Walking is actually the best fittening pace of all I was told and certainly it helps our good doers. Build this up until you are doing at least an hour of exercise a day.

I wouldn't be trotting for at least a couple of weeks.
 
Yes be a bit careful if he is already overweight. My lad has been losing weight but still needs more off and I am in the process of reducing his grazing even more now that the grass is coming through. He is on a bare paddock and nibbles grass as it comes through and has year old hay...he is still able to put weight on unless he is exercised every day!
 
Thank you so much for your replies. Now I am able to make a start.

His paddock has been halved by an electric fence. We have a muzzle just in case.

Thanks again

Mandy
 
if you are pushed for time, lungeing him will be a good way of getting more exercise into him and helping his waistline! hope he's a good boy for you and repays your effort... you never know, your daughter might decide boys aren't all they're cracked up to be, and there's time for a horse in her life too!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top